Device for relieving and correcting ingrown toenails



Feb. 20, 1951 s. w. GIBBONS 2,542,324

DEVICE FOR RELIEVING AND CORRECTING INGROWN TOENAILS Filed April 15,1949 SCOTT w. Glssolvs INVENTOR.

Patented Feb. 20, 1951 UNITED BEVECE FOR RELIEVIN G AND CORRECTINGINGROWN TOENAILS Scott W. Gibbons, Portland, Oreg.

Application April 15, 1949, Serial N 0. 87,807

1 (Claim.

This invention relates to a device for relieving correcting ingrowntoenails It is one of the principal objects of the invention to providea device of this character which may be quickly and conveniently appliedand comfortably worn by a user to pry the adjacent flesh away from theingrown edge of the nail to form a guide for the nail so that as itadvances by growth, the ingrown edge of the nail will be harmlesslyextended beyond the end of the toe and followed by normal nail growth.

These and other objects will appear as my invention is more fullyhereinafter described in the following specification, illustrated in theaccompanying drawing and finally pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a top plan View of a toe and toe nail showing my inventionoperatively applied thereto.

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional end elevation taken approximatelyalong the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the invention.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing:

The main body of the invention, generally indicated by reference numeralI, is in the form of an elongated strip of flexible metal such asaluminum or the like. One end of the body member is turned back onitself as shown to form a transverse channel 2.

To the back surface of the body member I secure by suitable adhesive aprotective covering 3 made of any approved sterilized material. Theprotective covering extends outwardly from one end and both sides of thebody member to protect the flesh surrounding it against any chafingaction of the body member I. Another form of protective covering couldbe applied to the body member by dipping it in a rubber solution.

Ordinarily an ingrown toe nail assumes, in cross section, theapproximate shape illustrated in Figure 2 wherein the ingrown portion 4growing into the adjacent flesh causes inflammation and ulceration andusually requires minor surgery to correct the condition by cutting awaythe ingrown portion.

in applying my invention to a toe and ingrown toe nail, I engage one endof the channel 2 with the outermost end of the ingrown portion of thenail and move the body member rearwardly with respect to the toe untilthe channel is engaged throughout its length with the ingrown portion ofthe nail. Following this I bend the body member downwardlyjrom thedotted line position shown in Figure 2 to the full line position showntherein to overlie the correspondin side of the toe above the ballportion thereof and away from the compressing action caused by Weightapplied to the foot as in walking. Following this I 88- cure the bodymember in place by affixing it with adhesive material.

Due to the stiffness of the material from which t. e body member 1 ismade, the bending movement, as aforesaid, sets up a prying action tomove the flesh away from the outer edges of the ingrown nail while thechannel 2 moves the flesh away from the inner surface thereof.

As inflammation decreases, the shape of the body member can be changedto apply a different pressure to meet the arising change in the nailshape and the lessening size of the flesh adjacent thereto.

While I have shown a particular form of embodiment of my invention, I amaware that many minor changes therein will readily suggest themselves toothers skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention. Having thus described my invention, what I claim as newand desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

An article of the class described comprising an elongated metallic bodymember, a channel extending transversely of the body member at one ofits ends, a protective covering secured to one surface of the bodymember and extending outwardly from two sides and one end. thereof.

SCOTT W. GIBBONS.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Schmidthofier "WW...June 4, 1940 Number

